Fear -- and artificially low interest rates -- may be propping up the global economy.
"The role of phenomenally low long-term (inflation-adjusted) interest rates in covering up a multitude of weaknesses in the global economy is all too apparent. Soaring house prices worldwide are propping up consumer demand in many countries...America has been the single biggest beneficiary of this freakish low interest rate environment, with everyone seeming to borrow money like it is going out of style. Homeowners, backed by rising house prices, are piling up debt. The federal government has thrown fiscal prudence out the window. The country as a whole is absorbing an astounding three-quarters of global excess savings. But, as long as interest rates remain low and growth high, Americans can laugh at predictions that their excesses are laying the seeds of ruin."
Thanks to Michael Dudley
Read the full story: An Economy Of Fear
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello